Heroic Engines
Dear Friends, In the last book, Smudger, the little new engine on the Lower Valley Railway, told me all about when he first joined the railway many years ago. His railway stretches across the eastern side of the Island, serving many farmers, industries, and villages cheaply. “But after Lewis’s fire,” Smudger explained, “we were so busy cleaning up the mess that we nearly forgot about our other work! The Little Controller didn’t like that at all.” He went on to tell me about an interesting incident from one bitter winter of 1951… The Author Smudger to the Rescue One evening, the little engines were resting in the sheds. The skies above them had turned a murky gray color. “The winter will be here soon,” said Edward Mann in a worried tone. “Once the snow falls, it’ll be much more difficult to get around.” “I hate the snow,” shivered Candy. She was weaker than the other engines, so she had much more trouble pushing through the snowdrifts. Just that moment, the Little Controller arrived. “Your new snowplows will be arriving at the harbor tonight,” he said, “so I want you all to go there now, so we can start work early tomorrow. We can’t let the weather delay us.” “Yes, Sir,” they all replied, and they scurried off to the harbor. When they arrived, the sun had already set, and a full moon illuminated the harbor waters. The harbor ran on a special dual-gauge line, so both little engine and big engines could run on the same track. The engines backed into a siding, waiting for their snowplows to arrive. Just then, Smudger noticed a familiar man standing next to something massive on the rails, dark grey with “SCRAP” chalked all over. “Isn’t that the Representative?” he asked. Before the other engines could stop him, he had hurried over to get a closer look. “Smudger!” said the Representative. “Just the engine I wanted to see! I need some help, if you don’t mind.” The Representative pointed to the big object next to him. “I’ve just rescued this engine from scrap,” he explained, “and I need to find him a good home. I know he doesn’t look much like a steam engine, but once he’s all fixed up, he’ll be one of the most amazing engines you’ve ever seen. Can you find a bigger engine to take him to the Big Railway?” Smudger stared at the big engine. He felt a small pain in his boiler. “I won’t have to find anyone else,” Smudger said. “We’ll take him there ourselves.” Edward and Candy had just pulled alongside. “Are you crazy?” Candy hissed. “Don’t be foolish,” snapped Edward. “Even if we all put our effort into it, I don’t think we could pull him.” “Well we have to do something!” Smudger said. “That could have been me!” The other two engines stared at him. Smudger glanced up at the big engine and sighed. “I could’ve just been easily scrapped myself,” he said. “I was lucky to have been bought when I was. I don’t think any engine should have to live with that kind of fear…you know? The Big Railway’s carriage shed isn’t too far from here,” Smudger insisted. “We can at least make it that far.” Edward and Candy glanced at each other. “It’ll be really difficult,” said Edward, “but if it’s this important…” Their drivers talked for a bit, and soon began to make preparations. Lewis the military engine was sleeping in a siding. After the fire accident, he had to stay there and help clean up the mess. He woke up and saw what was going on, and before he knew it, the other three engines had dragged him into their plan. The four little engines formed a line in front of the big engine. Lewis was at the back, followed by Smudger, then Edward, and finally Candy. They were all coupled to each other, and strong ropes were fastened between Lewis and the runaway engine. On the Representative’s signal, Lewis, Smudger, and Edward all began to pull. As they began to pick up speed, Candy began to pull too. They were soon clear of the harbor and gently puffing along, the big engine rattling behind them. The sun was rising by the time they arrived at the Big Railway’s carriage sheds. The dual gauge line ended here, so they shunted the engine into a siding. Suddenly, Misaki, one of the Big Railway’s tank engines and a good friend of Smudger’s, pulled up alongside. When they explained to her the situation, she was only too happy to help. She coupled up to the engine, who was by now fast asleep, and shunted him slowly into the sheds. “You all should hurry back now,” she advised, “before somebody else catches you wandering around here.” “Thank you, Misaki!” Smudger whispered as the four engines hurried away. He was exhausted and knew he’d probably get into trouble later, but he’d never felt so proud of himself before. Confusion and Delay The three engines arrived back at the sheds, and Lewis hurried away back towards the harbor. The Little Controller soon arrived. “So,” he began, “have your new snowplows been fitted?” The three engines glanced nervously at each other. “Erm,” Candy said, “the ship carrying them was delayed, Sir. It should be docking later today though." The Little Controller sighed. “All right then,” he said. “You’ll have to use your old ones until then. Candy, your train is ready. Smudger, Edward Mann, you’ll be helping out the farmworkers today.” “Yes, Sir,” the three engines said. Candy shivered as she watched the snow begin to fall from the dark clouds. Lewis was on his way back to the harbor. The line back passes by the nearby farms, which use the Little Railway as a means for cheap transportation of goods to the villages. Lewis was nearly back when a farmer stopped him. “Some other engines were coming later,” he said, “but since you’re here now, can you please deliver my fruits to the market?” “Yes, of course sir,” Lewis said without thinking. He was coupled up to the trucks and trundled off before wondering who the “other engines” were. “I’m already doing the work,” he said to himself. “I’m sure nobody will really notice…” Meanwhile, Candy was puffing along with her coal trucks. The snow was getting thicker around her as she hurried along. Her driver, exposed to the cold, huddled in his thick jacket. She pushed her hardest through the snowdrifts, but the next one was always bigger than the last. Finally she found a drift far too large for her to push through safely. “We’ll have to go back to the Yard,” her Driver said. “Lewis should be able to help us.” Candy sighed and reversed her train. As she chuffed into the yard, she whistled at Smudger and Edward, who were off to collect the goods from the farms. At the Big Railway’s carriage shed. Naomi was just waking up from her peaceful sleep. She loved how the morning sun shone bright through the thick clouds, making the falling snow around them sparkle. It was almost magical. Then she realized there was something next to her that wasn’t there before. She grew stiff and nervous. She slowly glanced over to see what the intruder was. It was a long, grey engine, who easily towered over her. He was filthy, covered in dirt and bits of rust, and “SCRAP” was chalked all over. Naomi was frozen in terror. The big engine opened one sleepy eye and glanced down at her. “Oh, good morning,” he said. Naomi’s scream of terror could be heard for miles! Meanwhile, Candy was growing impatient. Her Driver had tried calling the harbor, but Lewis had not arrived back yet. “Where could he be?” she shivered crossly. “I hate being late.” Just then, Smudger and Edward arrived back, looking worried. “Our train’s missing,” Edward said. “The farmers say some other engine was there to take it for us.” “It must’ve been Lewis then,” Candy said bitterly. “What on Earth does he think he’s doing out there? I need him to push snow for me!” “We’ll take his place,” said Smudger. “We won’t be late, I promise.” Candy glanced suspiciously at him, but reluctantly agreed. Smudger and Edward Mann traveled in front. As Smudger was bigger, he would charge at the snow first, and then Edward would follow behind to push aside whatever was left. Candy’s train made good time, and the three headed back to the Sheds together. But when they arrived, they found the Little Controller waiting for them. He was with a slightly taller, older man. This was the Big Controller, who ran the Big Railway. "I’ve just called the harbor. They say Lewis is missing, and your snowplows have been waiting there since last night,” the Little Controller said sternly. “And I’ve just heard of an engine appearing on the other railway that wasn’t there before. Mind explaining what REALLY happened last night?” The engines gulped. They knew they had been caught. “It’s my fault, Sir,” Smudger said sadly. He took a deep breath and explained to the two controllers what had happened. The controllers stared. Smudger was worried now, wondering if the engine they worked so hard to save would now be scrapped. But the Big Controller looked pleased. “Well done!” he said with a chuckle. “We’ve needed a new engine for some time now, and this will be a perfect addition to our railway!” Smudger’s jaw dropped. He couldn’t believe what he had heard! “He’ll be sent to our Works right away,” he continued. He then spoke to the Little Controller. “You should be proud,” he said kindly, “to have such heroic engines on your railway.” The Little Controller smiled at the three engines. “Indeed I am.” The Tale of Tyler The rescued engine, whose old number was 36006, was taken away to the Big Railway’s works by Hiro. “He’s a very interesting engine,” he told the little engines. “I hope they make him Really Useful soon.” “Of course they will,” Edward Mann said earnestly. “They’re some sort of magic with how well they handle their engines.” “Well I hope I get to go there again,” Smudger put in. “My axles are aching so badly!” As the temperature grew lower, the engines worked harder. Smudger had never worked so hard before in his life, and he was beginning to wear out. But much to everyone’s surprise, he wouldn’t let that stop him. On the night before New Year’s, Smudger finally met his limits. Edward’s fire wouldn’t light, and he didn’t want his train to be delayed. “I’ll take it for him,” Smudger said. His Driver was concerned about the strain Smudger had been under, but eventually agreed. Edward’s goods train was heavier than Smudger had anticipated, but he struggled on anyway. He was only halfway to the next junction when his safety valve burst. Hissing mournfully, he ground to a halt. His Driver examined him carefully. The cold winter air whipped around Smudger’s cooling boiler. “Yeah,” his Driver finally said, “there’s no way you can pull this train anymore. Lewis came to take the train, and Candy helped the shivering Smudger back to the sheds. Once they arrived back, Edward was finally in steam, and hurried away to take Candy’s train. Smudger and Candy were alone in the shed. The doors were closed, and they could hear the icy wind whistling through the cracks. Candy finally spoke. “Hey,” she said, “I owe you an apology.” Smudger stared. “You do?” he asked meekly. “Yeah. I treated you horribly when I first met you, and you didn’t deserve that, especially since I didn’t even know you back then. I guess it’s because I was still upset about Tyler.” “Who’s Tyler?” “Tyler was my twin,” Candy explained. “Both built at the same time, right here on the Island. We used to work at the slate mines together. He was always a little more headstrong than me, and ready to take on a challenge, while I wanted to follow directions and play it safe. “The railway eventually bought the mine, and we both got our numbers. He was 2, and I was 3. We got to do a lot more now that we were part of a bigger railway, and we were really happy. He still took risks, and always jumped at the opportunity to pull any train. ‘You need to take what life gives you and roll with it,’ is what he always said to me.” Candy chuckled to herself, even though her eyes had begun to water. “He was a bit of an idiot,” she said with a faint smile. “Eventually the war broke out, and the mainland wanted to buy one of us to use for trenches. Tyler begged the Little Controller to let him go, and eventually he did. I was really upset, and asked him not to go. “‘It’s a life experience,’ he said to me, ‘and I’ll be doing some good for the country. Besides, I’ll be helping to protect my sister, right?’ “I really didn’t want him to leave. I had a horrible feeling about it. But Tyler had made up his mind, so they sent him away on a big ship…” Candy couldn’t hold back her tears any longer. “After that,” she said, “we heard about what happened in Hiroshima…” Smudger was horrified. Candy looked at him through her sad eyes. “There was almost nothing left of him by the time they found him,” she said sadly. “So they melted his parts down and put them to other use. “I must’ve cried for days. I wanted to know why he didn’t listen to me, why he chose to get himself blown up…that idiot, that idiot…” Smudger frowned. He hadn’t a clue about what to say. “I’m really sorry…” he said slowly. “Well…” Candy sighed. “He did his best, and even after he was scrapped, they put his parts to good use…and we still have his old nameplate, so I’ll always have a part of him.” “Anyway,” Candy went on, “when you arrived, the Little Controller said you’d take on Tyler’s old number. I always saw him as a hard worker, and when I heard about what you went through, I thought you’d bring shame onto his number…” Smudger flustered in embarrassment, remembering how he derailed on his very first day. But Candy was smiling softly at him. “But you proved me wrong,” she said. “After everything that’s happened, I think Tyler would’ve been proud to see you running with his number.” Smudger smiled. “I’m glad to hear that, Candy,” he said. And the two engines have been inseparable friends ever since. Morning Light Spring finally arrived on the Island. This meant that it would soon be flower-viewing time, a very special tradition. People would come from the mainland and from other places far away to see the cherry blossoms in full bloom. This meant that more passengers would be riding on both railways, so everybody had to help out. But the engines were excited for another reason too. The lines through the valley were almost completed, and there was something special planned for the very first train through it. Edward Mann and Takao, the oldest engines, would talk about nothing but the new line. “The view is amazing,” they would tell the others. “You’re going to love it.” Smudger’s condition had gotten worse. He strained when pulling trains, and often needed help from the other engines. Lewis was especially critical of this. “You shouldn’t be working like this,” he said darkly as he buffered up behind Smudger’s train. “A museum seems like a much better place for engines like you.” “Right,” laughed Smudger as he strained with his coaches, “like I’d ever just give up and become part of a museum collection.” “Takao’s fast on his way,” Lewis continued, “and I’m sure they’d make room for one more engine.” One morning, Smudger was puffing out of the sheds to take his train when his firebars collapsed. They had to push him back into the shed and use the hot coal on the ground to start Candy’s fire instead. “You’ve worked yourself to bits!” his Driver laughed. “It’s about time you got some rest, old boy.” They left the shed doors open so Smudger could watch the passing trains. The other engines whistled cheerfully at him as they puffed along. Smudger could only sigh enviously. He wished he was the one pulling the trains. He longed for a chance to see the flowers that the passengers and other engines chattered about. One evening, Lewis was ordered to pull Smudger to the harbor. He left the worn-out tank engine in a siding by a harbor crane, and hurried away to finish his own work. Just then, a big, square, green engine pulled into view with a flatbed. Smudger was amazed. The engine was the one he had helped rescue form scrap! The Little and Big Controllers greeted him warmly. “Please welcome,” they said proudly, “the newest Upper Valley Railway’s newest engine. Tomorrow, you will be taken to the Works for a full overhaul, after his official naming ceremony.” Smudger smiled the biggest smile he had smiled in months. “Thank you, Sirs,” he said as the crane slowly lifted him onto the flatbed. On the day of the naming ceremony, all of the little and big engines gathered at the Main Station. Lots of people and photographers were there, and the new engine’s nameplate was covered with a curtain. Both Controllers gave rousing speeches, and everybody cheered. “Please tell everyone,” they said, “that for any engine who wants to be Really Useful, they will always have a home here on our beautiful valley railways.” These words were followed by thunderous applause. Finally, the two Controllers headed to the new engine and pulled off the curtain to reveal his new name. “Ladies and Gentlemen,” said the Big Controller, “Please welcome ‘Morning Light’!” Everyone clapped and cheered, and all of the engines whistled with joy. Smudger, waiting patiently on his flatbed, could only smile for his new friend. The little engines were honored as heroes too, and had their photographs taken. Eventually, it was time for Morning Light to leave with Smudger. Everybody whistled goodbye, and Morning Light puffed away from the station. As they sped along, they passed Hiro, who was too busy with mainland work to come to the ceremony. But he whistled proudly at them, and Morning Light whistled back. They headed down a line Smudger had never seen before, and suddenly, he found them puffing along the new valley line. Smudger gasped in awe. The sun was shining brightly over the valley. Birds were singing, the river at the bottom was sparkling, and flowers were blooming. Pink cherry blossoms, blown by the wind, swirled all around him. Smudger had never seen something so beautiful before. “It’s amazing…” he said, his eyes misty with tears of joy. They arrived safely at the works, and Morning Light said goodbye, and the two engines thanked each other for everything. A few years later, Smudger finally came home. He felt better than ever before, and had a brand new coat of paint. He was now a rich blue with red stripes, his side rods were red, and his name and number were painted on in white. When the other engines saw him, they hardly recognized him, and thought he looked wonderful. Once he was in steam, he pulled his first train through the new valley line. Smudger still remembers his home on Sodor, and he remembers Duke, and he keeps him in his heart. But he also loves his new home, and now, just as Hiro had promised, he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.